The following United States patents comprise the closest known prior art:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,017,843; 4,196,338; 3,678,494; 3,891,979; 3,631,446; 3,882,381; 3,585,626; 3,350,941; 3,873,927; 4,078,224; 3,596,263; 3,798,594.
Early in 1843, the director of the United States Patent Office recommended to Congress that the office be closed, "because there is nothing left to be invented". Within a short period of time following this pronouncement, the Patent Office was deluged with thousands of new ideas. This deluge became the first surge of the Industrial Revolution and the age of labor saving machines.
A continued surge of ideas, and resultant new consumer products, is even more pronounced today. As our machinery and tools of living become more commplicated, new ideas, which coupled to them and produce new products, abound.
A few years ago, when the hood of the automobile was opened, we were presented with an engine compartment which left room for working on the engine, and for adding accessories of our choice. Today, the compartment is completely filled with fuel devices, anti-smog devices, air conditioners, compressors, etc. As regulations governing the internal combustion engine proliferate, the need to use modern, efficient means of control will abound. The increasing cost of fuel only intensifies our desire to use that fuel, and the automobile, in the most efficient manner.
Until recently, the method of control and efficient management of such complicated electromechanical devices as the automobile was not feasible, and indeed not even necessary. With the advent of solid state electronics, modular construction of components and processors, this management and control is now feasible.
Today's automobile is a marvel of sophisticated electromechanical devices which propel the vehicle, and provide us with requisite safety features. As more convenience and more safety features become a standard part of the automobile, the driving compartment becomes more isolated, safer, and quieter. This isolation is both helpful and restful, but presents problems of safety to today's driver. As more mechanical and sound insulation is provided, the possibility of accidental lack of attention or drowsiness increases exponentially. Any device which can warn us of drowsiness, erratic driving behavior, or bad road conditions, is a welcome addition to safety and peace of mind.